EU Oil, Gas Sanctions Undermine Talks With Iran, Russia Says

European oil and gas sanctions
undermine talks with Iran and damage the “unity of
international mediators,” Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry
said in an emailed statement.

Russia is “deeply concerned by new European Union
unilateral sanctions” against Iran, adopted Oct. 15, the
ministry said. It said Russia will continue pushing for a new
round of talks with Iran as soon as possible, according to the
statement.

The EU and U.S. have tightened sanctions on Iran in the
past year, saying the measures are needed to curb the Islamic
republic’s nuclear program. Iran denies accusations it is
seeking to build atomic bombs and says the program is for
civilian purposes.

Russia, along with the other four members of the United
Nations Security Council, is part of a group that has held a
series of talks with Iran seeking a compromise on its nuclear
development. Israel has threatened to carry out military strikes
to stop Iran’s nuclear program if diplomacy doesn’t work, and
the U.S. hasn’t ruled out military action for the same purpose.